~ Piazza Navona ~
When you think of Rome, what do you think of? History? Art? Religion? Food? Music? Fashion? If you think of any, or all, of these things you would be right. Rome, known as the Eternal City, doesn’t just “have” these things, Rome “is” these things. History, art, music, religion, fashion and food are woven into daily life without deliberate effort by Romans, like breathing. Maybe that’s why the city is one of the top tourist destinations in the world drawing between 7 and 10 million guests a year…because it inspires beauty. Whether to create it, or simply recognize it, as it is, wherever it is.
My trip starts by checking into my trendy little apartment at Ora Moderna. I found this apartment on TripAdvisor on a whim. I was in the midst of a major life transition and thought, “I need to get out of here to recalibrate. Rome, yeah, that sounds good!” Yes, it’s a bit like the heroine in the book/movie Eat, Pray, Love. I too needed to marvel, so I booked a flight then found this little gem of an apartment. They have at least 6 newly renovated apartments for rent at a reasonable rate. I absolutely love this property, not only for the quality of the accommodations, but for the location and the complex manager Alessandro is a delight. Being located only 4 blocks from Piazza Navona I was able to walk everywhere easily from this home base.
One of my favorite things to do when in Italy is hang out at the Piazzas and people watch with my Aperol Spritz and to me, Piazza Navona is the best! It’s history is fairly typical in that it once hosted “the games”, theater, markets and wasn’t converted to a public area until the 15th Century. Piazza Navona is home to 3 amazing fountains, the most famous of them being Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi aka; the Fountain of the Four Rivers, positioned in the center of the Piazza with the Fountain of Neptune to the north and the Fontana del Moro to the south. In between the fountains you can expect to see artists displaying their creations and musicians playing and selling their latest cds. Yes, the restaurants will be about 10 to 15% more expensive than ones only a block away, but the vibe is worth the expense to experience it.
Positioned in Piazza Navona you can also find, Sant’Agnese in Agone church. This church was build to honor the Sant’Agnese who was martyred in a colisium…I’ll leave out the form of death but your best guess would likely be right. This is working church so touring it can be hit or miss. While I’m not Catholic, I had the good fortune of attending mass while I was here and the building, and service, where gorgeous. Worth a visit!
Within only the first 8 hours of my stay in Rome, I was overwhelmed by beauty and well on my way to recalibrating.
Next Up, the Pantheon and St Ignacios…
Looking forward to the rest of your posts on Rome! I was there in June!
Thanks Kendra!!! Did you post on your trip?!
Not yet…It’s in the works!
Kim,
Do you have any recommendations for places to stay in Oslo, Norway and Copenhagen, Denmark?
Joe Lugo
Hi Joe!
I’m afraid I don’t! I’ve been to Copenhagen but it was so long ago I don’t actually remember where I stayed. (that’s telling right?!). I’ve not been to Oslo but it’s on my list. Let me know what you learn. When I go to somewhere new, I like to use Trip Advisor to help me locate where I want to stay. I let the recommendations guide me. It’s never let me down. Looking forward to hearing about your trip!
Kim